Apple announced new 550MHz and 667MHz TiBooks and 600MHz iBooks yesterday, confirming weeks of rumors. In addition to the processor speed increases, the new TiBooks come with ATI Mobility Radeon graphics accelerators and 16 MB of DDR video memory, bigger hard drives, and built-in Gigabit Ethernet; the 667MHz model comes with a built-in Airport card as well. You can even get a slot-load CD-RW on the TiBooks now. The iBooks now come with 128 MB RAM and larger hard drives. Both the TiBook and iBook come with a new square-shaped power adapter that fits in the palm of your hand. I like the updates to the machines and expect that customers are going to like the price as well–they haven't changed.

USER COMMENTS 7 comment(s)

These are great enhancements(11:52am EST Wed Oct 17 2001)I just wish they would move to XGA screens and address the heat and flexing issues. Maybe they have. I guess if I were Apple I wouldn't go around saying, “You know all those things that SUCKED about the old one? We fixed 'em.” Sort of bad PR I guess. – by TQBrady

Finally(3:56pm EST Wed Oct 17 2001)Places like MacOS Rumors and As the Apple Turns have been talking about this for weeks. I'm glad they're finally here. (Not that I could afford a new computer anyway). – by Scorpion

What Heat?(4:29pm EST Wed Oct 17 2001)TQBrady, this is the second time you've asserted problems with heat and flexing. Would you please back up your claims and explain what they supposedly are? We own several TiBooks, and none of them are any hotter than any other Powerbook, and are substantially cooler and immensely quiter than the Dell units we have. And, as I answered you previously, the only flex issues had to do with battery disconnections, which were resolved within just a few weeks of the initial release and can be cured by having Apple replace your battery under warranty. (For those unaware, the first shipment of batteries were mis-aligned due to a 3rd party manufacturing mistake, and easily cured on your own, even if you don't call Apple for a free, fast fix.)

TQB, if you can't keep up with the fixes already in place, please keep your mouth shut. Spreading false rumors is not only libelous (or slanderous), but makes you look like a fool. – by VideoPro

XGA: This acronym stands for Extended Graphics Array. XGA cards were used in later PS/2 models they can do bus mastering on the MCA bus and use either 512 KB or 1 MB of VRAM. In the 1 MB configuration XGA supports 1,024×768 graphics in 256 colors, or 640×480 at high color (16 bits per pixel).* XGA-2: This graphics mode improves on XGA by extending 1,024×768 support to high color, and also supporting higher refresh rates than XGA or 8514/A.(link:)

If these definitions are correct, the PowerBook has been at XGA levels for several years.

Regardless, the new G4 TiBook can support 1600×1200 at millions of colors on the internal 15.2″ wide aspect screen while simultaneously displaying up to 1920×1440 at millions of colors on an external SVGA display.

What more do you want?– by Confused TQ

More(11:01am EST Thu Oct 18 2001)According to Dell (that bastion of technical accuracy and honesty), XGA is (by their standards for their screens):

Panel/Resolution/Pixels Per Inch (PPI)/Mega Pixels (MP)

14.1″ XGA 1024 X 768/91/0.768

14.1″ Super XGA 1400 X 1050/124/1.47

15″ XGA 1024 X 768/85/0.768

15″ Super XGA+ 1400 X 1050/117/1.47

I can't find the pixel density ratings on Apple's site, but, I can tell you that the iBook is definately in the 11x class of pixel density, and my 2000 Pismo G3 counts in at 98PPI on a 14.1″ screen. I know that the first rev of TiBook was still in the high-90s, but I would like to think the new TiBook also increases PPI like it's little brother.

In any case, even by Dell's standards, all the PowerBook G3 and rev 1 G4 models are at least XGA, and definately the iBook, and likely the new TiBook are also SXGA+.

I ordered a new G4-667 TiBook this morning, I'll let you know the PPI when it gets here.

So, TQBrady, what is it, exactly, that you are bitching about with regards to XGA? Can you provide other definitions that explain your point better? – by Video Dave

The screen(8:23pm EST Thu Oct 18 2001)The screen still only goes to 1152×768, not 1600×1200, and I believe the PPI is only in the 92-95 range. Having used PowerBook G4s and seeing their screens, I am not at all worried about the performance of the screen on the 667MHz model I'm going to order tomorrow. – by Xinzor The Merciless

Agreed(7:04am EST Fri Oct 19 2001)You're right, sorry I misread the spec sheet. Still, by all definitions, it's an XGA screen, which is the important point. Still have hopes the PPI will be higher than the last rev, though. We'll see.

I have to say, too, I'm not at all concerned that it doesn't go to 1600, because that's just too damn small for what I do, anyway (Final Cut Pro, After Effects, etc.). – by Video Dave